The 12 days of car (& holiday) tips

12 Useful tips about cars and the holidays – because we know a little bit about both

If there are two things we love at the RoadLoans blog, it’s getting smart about cars, and seasonal tips and tricks. And we think you’ll find that our holiday recipe includes just the right proportion of both.

You’re really going to want to read these. From car-buying help to cookie recipes, I think we’ve got it covered this winter season.

Tip 1 – Holiday shopping can be stressful, like not knowing what to get your mother when she says she “doesn’t need any gifts this year.” We are here to save the day with a great gift idea for this holiday season: a tech upgrade. If you want to wow your loved ones with what’s under the tree, take a look at these smart tools that can instantly upgrade a vehicle. Although, take note, you will have to show your mom how to use it.

Tip 2 – Winter weather can be more than just a little dangerous, especially if you’re on a remote stretch of road. We hope you don’t get stuck in the snow, but here are some tips for dealing with extreme situations when the ice and snow get too close for comfort.

Tip 3 – Looking to impress your loved ones with holiday treats? Take a tube of your favorite cookie dough and place a small Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup or Hershey’s Kiss in the center of each cookie. Then, all you need to do is add a pair of frosting eyes and antlers and you have created the perfect reindeer-themed holiday treat.

Tip 4 – There’s no question about it – car shoppers should buy the vehicle that’s right for them, at the right time. According to data from a study by iSeeCars.com, it may be worth shopping for a vehicle over the holidays. Christmas Eve, Christmas and New Year’s Eve are all among the top 10 best days of the year to find more deals than average on a used car, when a deal is a saving or 5 percent or more.

Tip 5 – Looking to reuse and recycle this season? You can use paint, glitter and a dash of imagination to transform any household item into the perfect seasonal ornament. Check out these 33 tips then gather the family together for some DIY ornament making, and spice up your Christmas tree décor.

Tip 6 – If you’re under 30 and ready to buy a car, but your credit rating isn’t the best, don’t be dismayed. Many people are in the same situation. Some common sense and a few car-buying tips may help you get on the road and move forward.

Tip 7 – Your winter driving will be safer and happier if your vehicle is in shape for it. Learn the simple tricks for winterizing your car. Don’t forget to throw your ice scraper in the back seat for safekeeping!

Tip 8 – Are you doing Secret Santa this year? Skip the scraps of paper! Use a web-based service to organize all the name drawing, like DrawNames.com. It will do all the work for you, for free. It even has advanced features, like excluding certain giver-receiver combinations, and will email everyone on the list to let them know whose Secret Santa they will be.

Tip 9 – When buying a car, consider getting financing before you go to the dealership. One of the reasons that many people dread car buying is the complex, lengthy process of getting financing worked out for a vehicle while at the dealership. Do yourself a favor and explore how easy it can be for qualified buyers to walk into the dealership with a loan approval already in hand, ready to buy.

Tip 10 – Decorating for holidays can be wonderful, but it can cost a lot of money and take up plenty of space to store the decorations. To save some of both, consider drawing wreaths and reindeer on to windows with washable paint markers. And if your drawings are done just right, people on both sides of the glass can enjoy them.

Tip 11 – If the increase in winter holiday travel continues this year, America’s roads are going to be pretty busy from Dec. 25 to Jan. 1. There are more useful travel tips than can be listed, but let us make only two recommendations: plan, and use Google Maps. As the most widely used mobile app in the world, Google Maps has the versatility, usability and program maturity to aid you in getting through at least part of the distance between your Point A and your Point B, and hopefully back again.

Tip 12 – Nothing is better than curling up by the fire with your favorite holiday movie playing on the TV. If you have to embark on a holiday road trip instead, take a look at our top five backseat movie recommendations and bring some entertainment along for the ride. Throw in some movie theatre popcorn or gummie treats and a few blankets for a true holiday movie experience minus the couch.

If you have any seasonal tips of your own, let us know on Facebook and Twitter.